Are BT Up To Their Usual Tricks Again?

I found this news item on www.net4nowt.com and wondered if any Plusnet members have had this experience with BT. Glad to say that my request for Broadband with Plusnet went without a hitch.

BT Accused Of Misleading Broadband Subscribers

This Is London reports that Thus, which owns provider Demon, is accusing BT slowing down the high-speed revolution by making it difficult for subscribers to sign up to broadband via Internet service providers other than BT.

Thus made the accusation after discovering that several of its customers who wanted broadband had been told they had to go through BT rather than alternative providers, and the company has asked regulator Oftel to investigate according to the report.

Demon subscriber Tina Weston, from Worcester, has been trying to get broadband installed since May. When she attempted to subscribe to Demon's broadband service, she says she was told by BT that her phone line was not suitable.

She was eventually connected to BT's broadband service and the service worked perfectly, but when she tried to switch to Demon she said she was again told the line was unsuitable, even though it had clearly accepted broadband.

'It's frustrating.' she said. 'It seems that BT is using its monopoly position to edit which suppliers can connect to its services.'

Thus has found several other cases where customers have been told it is not possible to sign up for ADSL because of technical reasons, only to sign up to BT's own broadband services and find no problems.

Ian Hood, regulatory director at Thus, said: 'We have asked Oftel to look into this. We have to establish whether this is incompetence on the part of BT, or part of an orchestrated campaign. Our problem is that this could be affecting other customers we aren't necessarily going to find out about.'

According to the report, an AOL spokesman also commented on the issue, saying: "It is supposed to be a level playing field, but it doesn't seem to be that way.' Oftel says it is keen to ensure that no anti-competitive activity is taking place, and that it is keeping an eye on the situation."

However, in reaction to the accusation, a BT spokesman said "We contest the suggestion that we have blocked broadband through other Internet service providers. We treat all providers equally.'